The Bat-Family: Love Hurts
by SilentMinority
Summary: While investigating a Poison Ivy case, Jason and Dick stumble upon a new toxin. They end up bringing the infection back to the Manor, causing the Robins and Batgirls to develop romantic feelings for one another. The love hexagon threatens to break the Bat-Family unless they figure a way out without breaking any hearts.
1. Issue 1: Kiss From a Rose

"So what's with you and redheads?"

Dick Grayson didn't answer. The 6'0, 25 year old former gymnast danced around the room, punching criminals in the face. The apartment was too small for his escrima sticks. He flipped over a crook, kicked him in the ear, and flipped back his shaggy black hair.

"I don't know. What's with you and guns?"

Jason Todd shot all the fallen criminals in the kneecaps. The 6'1, 23 year old former murder victim twirled his pistols and blew the imaginary smoke from behind his red mask. "I'm serious. Of all the beautiful women we've come across, the two you can't get over just happen to both be redheads? There's got to be some psychological wires crossed. And of all the girls, Ivy's never bloomed your flower?"

The two were investigating a trap house selling Poison Ivy love potions. Dick had traced the case from Bludhaven. Jason was bored hanging around the manor.

"What can I say? I'm immune to her charm."

"They say it's something that happens to you as a child. Before you even think about girls as girls. One day you're five, you're playing with matches, and your brain starts to get the wrong idea about the color red."

Dick had to laugh as he was looking through boxes of the product. "People have their types. I don't even think anyone at the Circus had red hair. But just to humor you, I was fifteen when I met Barbara. She was an older woman, smart, beautiful. I had some of the best years of my life fighting crime with her. Then when I left town, suddenly Kori popped into my life. Not that she's like a rebound or anything. Don't tell her that. Or Barbara. Don't tell anyone anything."

Jason smirked, making sure all the goons were passed out. "You've never thought about anyone else. Donna? Kara? I mean everyone has a crush on Diana right?

"She's Wonder Woman. Of course. But Kara is good friends with Barbara. And Donna is like my best friend."

"What about me?" Jason asked.

"You're like my brother," Dick answered. "I'm flattered but-"

"I meant the best friend part, Dickhead!" Jason began to kick open the walls looking for more drugs. "You're too virtuous, Boy Wonder. Longing for your teenage love? Save that for the CW. If I had your reputation and my body, I'd walk right up to Zatanna and say hey what's up?"

"Whatever you say, Jay."

The Red Hood was digging through trash when he must have triggered something. A green gas shot in his face. And although he wore a high tech mask, he still decided to fall backwards and lay on the ground.

"I've been poisoned."

"Do you have a death grin under there? I can't tell."

"It's not Joker gas or fear toxin."

"Maybe it's Ivy's love potion," Nightwing teased.

"Can't be. I have the overwhelming urge to strangle you if you don't get me to the Cave pronto."

"Nothing seems to be out of your ordinary, Master Jason." Alfred gave the eyeball one more shine from a flashlight before letting him go. "We'll see what your blood work says in the morning. Get some rest."

"I'm in favor of putting Todd in quarantine, putting him out of his misery if need be: not only his own good, but for ours." Damian Wayne seemed to appear out of nowhere, arms folded and hair slicked back. He was a thirteen year old version of his father.

"Isn't is past your bed time?" Jason asked the latest Robin.

"We all exceed our designated hour of rest, don't we?"

"He's saying you should've stayed dead," Dick pointed out.

The outside gate to the Batcave opened and in walked the three Batgirls. There was Stephanie Brown, a 5'5 twenty one year old bubbly blonde. She was laughing at her own jokes. There was Cassandra Cain, a 5'4 twenty year old Asian assassin. She was a good listener. And then there was Barbara Gordon. 5'7. 26 years old. She was busy taking off her cowl and putting on her glasses.

Jason was glad he took off the heart monitor. His heart was racing. Barbara. Dick's will they, won't they kinda girlfriend. A redhead. Her hair was so red. Freckles on her nose. What was happening in his head? Why now? As the girls walked up to the platform, Barbara came closer and closer.

"What's going on here?" she asked.

"Jay got hit with some toxin at Ivy's," Dick explained.

Barbara put her hand on Jason's shoulder. "Oh my god, are you okay?"

Jason couldn't breath at her touch. He choked and began coughing. She pulled away slightly as Damian covered his mouth with his cape and fled into the darkness. "Damn you, Todd."

"Master Jason, shall I get you tea?" Alfred offered.

"No, I'm alright." Jason got up and stormed out. "I just need to be alone."

Bruce had a number of rooms in the Manor dedicated to the family each having a room should they not want to go home for whatever reason. Jason only had a bed and a mini-fridge. He laid on top of the sheets and tried to figure out what was happening. Ivy's toxins usually made the victim fall for the first person they saw. He raked his course hand through his long black hair, streaked with ghostly white. Regardless of how he got there, he couldn't fight off the real, chemical truth that he was in love with Barbara Gordon.


	2. Issue 2: Can't Help Falling in Love

Barbara Gordon was hard at work in the Batcave, looking into the Black Mask criminal network. She was standing at the desk. Going on a few years now, she still felt strange about being seated at her computer. Her work as Oracle had been a proud time in her life. but since her surgery, she wanted to move forward and make the most out of her legs while she could. She was busy investigating and didn't notice Jason walk up near to her.

"Hey, Babs."

She glanced at him and continued working. "Hey, Jason. Feeling better?"

"Yeah, nothing a nice ten hours of sleep can't fix." Jason stood next to her, folding his strong arms in a tight red t-shirt. "What are you up to?"

"Me, Steph, and Cass busted a human trafficking ring last night. I'm trying to track down Black Mask through his shell companies to find out what else he's up to."

"Very cool. Very chill, very cool." Jason ran a hand through his hair. He cursed himself for feeling the urge to twist his lock of white hair around his finger. Why? "So what's happening with you and Dicky? It's been a while since you two were in the same place."

Barbara didn't find the question too suspicious. "I don't know. He's living his life in Bludhaven. I'm living mine in Burnside. Why?"

"Just chatting. Actually, I'm a little worried about Dick. See Dick is . . . Dick. He's got Koriand'r on one arm and . . . who knows who on the other. My friend Artemis told me he's been talking to Cassie Sandsmark. She's 19, but still. There's that witchy chick. And he even told me he has a thing for Wonder Woman."

"Who doesn't?" Barbara smirked at Jason, momentarily turning him into Red Face. "What, do you think I can settle him down? He's the guy who broke up with the Batman. Dick kinda does what he wants."

"I'm just looking at for you." Jason put his back against the table and leaned back with his hands. "I know you're smart and you can take care of yourself, but still. You deserve better than him."

He was right. Barbara was astute and perceptive enough to realize something was amiss. Jason never made small talk around the house, let alone showed concern for anybody. She noticed his hand was quite close to her left hand resting on the desk. If she didn't know any better, she'd think he was an 8th grade boy flirting for the first time.

"Computer's all yours!" She walked away casually. "I gotta go find Cass."

Jason watched her go and sighed.

Meanwhile: Cassandra Cain was working out in the Manor gym, waiting for Stephanie to come back from college. She was pounding a punching bag when she noticed someone enter the room. The lanky figure leaning against the figure was Dick Grayson. Cass scanned him immediately as part of her instincts. Something was off. If she ever saw him in a short sleeve button up, he never had the top buttons undone like he was now. Cass was a trained predator herself. She could recognize that look in his eye, the body language, as someone with desire.

"Hey, Cass," he said.

"Hello."

He approached as she wiped sweat from her forehead. "Need a sparring partner?"

"No."

Soon, Nightwing was standing before her, nearly a foot taller. He looked down into her dark eyes. Her half-Asian features struck him as drop dead gorgeous. By the time Cass joined the family, Dick had already moved out. She was raised by assassins to be a nonverbal killing machine. Violence was her first language. Her mother's tongue was a distant second. English even further. But he needed to know all he could about her.

"So how are things?"

"We save people," she said. "Batgirls kicking butt tonight."

Dick smiled. She must've picked that up from Stephanie. "What about your personal life? Do you really work out all day?"

Cass shrugged. "I eat. I sleep. I talk to Steph."

"She can be a lot, right? College can get pretty crazy. Parties and boys am I right?"

"I don't know," she said deadpan.

Dick wasn't used to how this was going. He usually could go charm most girls, given they were raised in a typically Western tradition of how flirting is done. Cass was raised in the darkness. Maybe she would respect a more direct form of courtship. Dick put his hand on the wall forcefully, trapping her on three sides with his hard body.

"Listen, Cass-"

That's as far as he got before she grabbed his arm and threw him to the ground. In one swift motion she mounted him and pinned each hand to the ground, signaling a defeat in the martial arts. In was then that Barbara entered the room.

"Whoa! Wow, okay. What is going on here?"

"Dick wanted to spar," Cass said. "Tries to distract me with small talking."

Barbara looked at Dick, who did not move a muscle.

"I bet he did. We should suit up, Cass. Steph is gonna meet us on patrol."

Cass got up and left. Dick laid on the ground and sighed.

Meanwhile: Bruce and Selina were in the kitchen. The 36 year old, 6'2 billionaire was drinking black coffee in a bathrobe with his shoulder bandaged up. His 34 year old, 5'10 wife was in a matching bathrobe. Alfred was doing dishes.

"Good evening!" In walked Tim Drake, 5'7 20 years old in a smart sweater, black hair boyishly parted in the middle. "Here Selina, I got you some flowers on the way here."

He handed her a bouquet of roses. "Why thank you, Timothy."

"You're looking good, Bruce."

"Hrmm."

Selina smelled the roses as Tim left the kitchen. "I wonder what's gotten into him?"

"Last night Master Jason was exposed to a Poison Ivy toxin," Alfred said. "It seems he may have infected some of our younger compatriots, resulting in them falling in love with random members of our merry band."

"Hrmm."

Alfred shook his head. "Oh to be young and in love. This should end well."


	3. Issue 3: Crazy in Love

After a long day at Gotham University, Stephanie Brown found herself crawling through the air vent system of a warehouse. This had been her nights going on five years now. When she was 16 she decided to play spoiler to her father's plans as one of the City's c-list supervillains. She had a short tenure as the fourth Robin, before her time as Batgirl.

"Batgirl to Spoiler, we've got five armed hostiles on the ground floor, do you copy?"

Steph lost the title once Barbara was back on the scene after her Oracle years. She respected the hell out of her from what she went through and how hard she worked. But in that moment, she felt a sudden urge of revenge. "Whatever you say, B."

Stephanie hopped into action, sneaking around corners and choking out the henchmen. She knew she had Black Bat watching her back from above, so she entered open combat. Her fists meeting their faces felt more exhilarating than usual, hopping around cape fluttering behind her. But she was getting too ahead of herself. Cass had to swing down and take out the last gunman who was aiming at Steph while her back was turned.

"Be careful."

"Thanks, Cass. At least I can always count on you."

They were uncovering crates full of illegally imported weapons when Barbara dropped in.

"What was that about?" she asked of Stephanie. "Since when do you run into battle alone?"

"I thought it was a good time to take the opportunity for myself and do things on my own for once."

The two faced off rather close.

"What does that mean?"

"It means maybe I'm not a kid anymore. Maybe I'm not gonna stand to the side and let . . . things pass me by."

Barbara knew what was going on. The love infection had spread. "You're not thinking clearly. As in literally there is a toxin messing with your emotions. We need to get back to the Manor."

Cass suddenly tensed up and looked at the ceiling. "Someone is here."

"I got it."

Steph punched Barbara in the mouth and ran off. Cass spent a second to make sure she was alright before giving chase. They ran into the stairwell, spotting a Black Mask underboss headed for the roof. Cass barely managed to close the distance when Stephanie burst through the door to the outside. Cass tackled her, falling to the ground just as the mobster shot at them. The bullet should've hit Stephanie, instead it only grazed the side of her face.

Cass rolled through and easily took down the middle aged creep in a cheap suit. She glanced to see Stephanie only bleeding slightly and snapped the man's arm for it. He passed out from the pain.

"Are you ladies alright?"

They turned to a corner of the rooftop where Nightwing stood, posing in the moonlight. A breeze passed through his freshly washed hair. Every muscle was covered in his tight, black and blue costume. He held a single rose up to his domino mask.

"Tuxedo Mask," Stephanie whispered. "You came."

Barbara arrived and took a moment to survey the odd scene. "Stephanie! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, now that Nightwing is here."

"He did not help," Cass noted.

Dick approached the girls. He gave the rose to Cass and bowed. "For you." Cass bowed as well. Dick thought it was a good idea to appear gentlemanly and pick up Steph in his arms. Cass was busy picking off the thorns to notice, her obsessive compulsion to neutralize danger.

"You're losing blood," Dick said. "We should get you back to the Cave."

"Put her down," Barbara told him. "She'll live."

"I'm quite alright up here," Stephanie insisted.

Dick let her down hard. Barbara gathered them together and thought of how she might explain this whole case.

"So . . . I'm thinking that the Ivy toxin Jason was exposed to did in fact mess with his head. Earlier he was, for lack of a better term, hitting on me. And somehow, Dick has fallen for Cass and Steph now has a crush on Dick." Steph looked at Dick, Dick looked at Cass, Cass stared ahead. "Cass and I seem to be not effected, as well as Alfred, Damian, Bruce and Selina. Has anyone seen Tim?"

"He should be right behind me," Dick said. "I may have rushed on without him."

Tim hopped over from another rooftop and fell to his knees. "Who took this rose from the bouquet in the kitchen? That was for Selina!" Tim tried to pick up the ripped up stem and torn petals. "She's gonna be so upset."

"Well that settles that." Barbara rubbed her temples and concocted a plan. "Okay. Dick is coming with me to pay Ivy a visit. Cass, Tim, and Stephanie will go back to the Cave, find Jason, and wait for further instructions."

"How about I rip your head off and kiss your boyfriend?" Stephanie asked.

"Take care of them, Cass." Barbara ran off into the night. Dick followed, his sense of duty and desire to fight evil still alive in his brain.

Meanwhile, back at the Cave, Jason was going over old case files. The Joker. He shot her. Left her to die. He knew what that was like. She knew how he felt. Sure their circumstances were different, but still, Barbara came out of it so much stronger and much more well adjusted. She was the daughter of Gotham's top cop. She was a hero in her own right. He was a street kid. A killer.

"Master Jason, I think I know what troubles you." Alfred walked in with a can of beer on a silver platter. "When I was a young man, I was in a theater troupe. We were no good, but me and my friends traveled England together performing, most of us in our mid-20s and aimless. Then one day, I looked at my friend Chitra Patel eating a tangerine, and I thought to myself in that moment, by God I have to marry that woman."

"And?"

"So I did. Didn't work out too well in the end, but that's the nature of love. Cupid's a cheeky little bastard. There's no logic in it to be found, just love. Now in your case, you may be affected unnaturally, but these days come and go like people. You most of all should know that there is life after."

"TT." Alfred and Jason looked up and found Damian watching atop the T-Rex head. "Maybe it's your Western upbringing or your advanced ages, but you will never find me weeping over a girl."

"Have something to confess, kid?" Jason asked. "Metropolis is that way."

"Don't make me get my crowbar, Todd!"

"Boys enough," Alfred declared. "Jason, go unwind with your beer in front of the TV. Damian, get down from there before you break your Father's things."

The second and fifth Robin agreed. "Yes, Alfred."


	4. Issue 4: U Don't Have To Say U Love Me

One Year Ago . . .

Bruce and Selina are getting married. It is 15 years since their first encounter as the Bat and the Cat, starting their careers in crime ridden Gotham. They have had their ups and downs on rooftops and alleyways. She robs him. He arrests her. And after extended campaign by Bane to ruin their lives, Mr. Wayne and Ms. Kyle are to be wed in the ballroom of the Manor surrounded by a close ceremony of friends and heroes.

At the front, the Batman looks uncomfortable in his tuxedo. He looks like his father. Beside him are his groomsmen, Clark Kent and Dick Grayson. Across the aisle stand the bridesmaids: Poison Ivy looking stunning in green and Harley Quinn, looking bizarre and beautiful in many colors. It was decided that Selina only wanted two bridesmaids and her maid of honor as her whole list, so Bruce would match that and not have to bring the whole League up on stage.

If you are a civilian like Jim Gordon, the crowd must be an astonishing sea of faces. Whether he knew it or not, he was seeing the most powerful people on Earth gathered in one house for at least thirty minutes. Aquaman and Mera. Wonder Woman. The Flashes. All six Green Lanterns. Even the Martian Manhunter has a psychic projection present as he monitors the Hall of Justice.

Holly Robinson, Selina's childhood friend from the orphanage, is the maid of honor. The flower girl is 5 year old Lara Kent. The ring bearer is 8 year old Edward Trevor-Prince. Accompanied by the best man, Alfred Pennyworth, is Selina Kyle in her black and white dress, floating down the aisle. It is a moment of pure magic. They all can feel it. Up on the dais, Dick locks eyes with Barbara. She's in the second row behind the Robins, with Supergirl and the Birds of Prey. Barbara gives a small smile because it feels right. His tux. Her dress. Dick blinks. One of them thinks "I love you." The other thinks "I love you too."

Now . . .

Nightwing and Batgirl ran across the rooftops, in search of an antidote.

"Just like the old days," Dick said.

"Sure," Barbara replied. "You're sweet talking me while you're in love with another girl. Original Bat Trinity there."

"Oh come on. Maybe I really am in love with Stephanie. Since when do you care?"

"I'm just getting this out in the open before we head into battle. I mean you don't even know anything about her."

Dick was smooth on his feet, but not in his mouth. "It's Steph! You know . . . She's a Batgirl. She can be a real handful."

"I bet. You don't know her birthday. What's her favorite food?"

"Lasagna!"

Barbara nearly tripped landing on the next roof. That was _her_ favorite food, they ate together after many long nights on patrol.

"So I guess Starfire isn't in the picture after this sudden revelation."

"We haven't talked in a while," Dick admitted with an air of honesty. "Last I heard she was on a deep space mission with Cyborg and a teenage version of Darkseid."

"We'll be far enough soon. Just one night with Ivy and this will all be over."

Poison Ivy wasn't that hard to find. She was forever switching between actually being a criminal and more of an anti-villain. She was an eco-terrorist at heart, seducing powerful men and chemically hypnotizing them in defense of the plants. But ever since her relationship with Harley bloomed, and Quinn's own exploration into anti-herodom, Pamela Isley eased up on fighting fire with fire in her war, at least in killing evil businessmen. At worst, she was suspected of selling some old love potions to street dealers, putting more romance back into the world. She lived in Gotham under the allowance of Selina not to cause too much trouble. Dick and Barbara beat up some dealers and followed the supply.

When they broke into Ivy's apartment, she was coming out of the shower in nothing but a towel.

"Hello there," she said.

Dick and Barbara let down their fists.

"Your love potion is causing us some trouble up at the Manor, Barbara explained.

Pamela studied them both and smiled. "Boy Wonder's eyes are dilated. Yours aren't Batgirl. What could that mean?"

"I've tried the whole, unrequited love thing," she replied. "It's not for me."

Ivy moved over to the couch, tossed off Harley's discarded costume, and sat down. "You two are so cute together."

"Give us the antidote," Dick demanded. Barbara side eyed him. She was surprised that he would be so eager to cure himself, but considered the possibility he, in his drug addled brain, would refuse the cure. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

"Then let's go nice and easy," she replied. "I must have some truth serum around here. But this is the deal. I want to play a game. I'll ask a few questions. And you tell me the truth. I'll know if you're lying, so if you lose, at least some of you will remain blissfully in the love. Deal?"

Barbara nodded. "You're on."

Meanwhile, all was quiet at stately Wayne Manor. Bruce was out on a Justice League mission. Stephanie was pestering Alfred about Dick's Robin costume being in storage. Damian was watching a movie in the home theater with Selina just to make Tim upset. Tim was in the back row, watching them. And in the TV room, Jason was drinking a beer watching wrestling, Ace the Bat-hound sleeping at his feet. He thought about Barbara. And her glasses. He would take them off and tuck a loose lock of red hair behind her ear. The bad boy and the A-student. It was too good to be true.

He didn't notice that Cassandra was seated at the other end of the couch. He raised his can to acknowledge her. She scooted closer to him.

"You'd like wrestling," he mumbled. "You don't even have to speak English. Or any language really. It's all physical. You see the big ugly guy with the beard? That's Bruce. I'm kidding. He's . . ."

As Jason went on to explain the characters and storyline, Cass expertly watched him from the corner of her eye. He was strange. Like her. The undead boy and the girl raised in a dungeon. Killers. For the first time in her life, she found an attraction in his streak of white hair. She was sitting right next to him. She wanted to hold his hand. She wanted to kiss his jaw.

"How do you say "The End" in . . . what's it called, Mandarin?"

She wasn't paying attention to his talking so much as her beating heart. Instead, she blurted out "I like you" in Mandarin.

"I like you," he repeated in Mandarin to the best of his ability.

Cass was normally in complete control over her body. Now she didn't know what to do with herself. If love was difficult to put into words for regular people, what was she to do? You make me feel like there's a sunset in my stomach. She tried American Sign Language. She stuck out her palm towards Jason, extending only her pinkie, index, and thumb. I love you.

Jason smiled. He reached out and touched her hand, sending electricity through her spine. He tucked her thumb in with her other fingers, leaving only Devil Horns.

"Rock on, little bat."

So Cass and Jason sat shoulder to shoulder watching TV. And she thought maybe this isn't so bad.


	5. Issue 5: Only You

Dick and Barbara sat across from each other and stared into each other's eyes. By now, Poison Ivy had pulled on some sweatpants and a t-shirt.

"Tell me Richard," Pamela asked. "When did you first meet Barbara?"

"I was . . . fifteen I think. A couple years after I became Robin. She started patrolling the city on her own before we teamed up."

"And what did you think of her then?"

Dick couldn't look into Barbara's hazel eyes, green and golden at the same time. So he looked at her mouth. "She was amazing. I was an acrobat so I could tell she was a great gymnast. The way she moved and fought. Incredible."

"That's sweet," Ivy said. "But let's get to the good stuff. What about her behind the mask? Batgirl out of her costume. What did you think of her?"

"She was the first girl I ever had a crush on." Barbara looked deep into his blue eyes for some hint of the infection. Surely the love toxin had warped his mind, inducing compliance to Ivy's tricks or the flood of emotion retroactively altering his memories. But those were the same domino-masked eyes she had known for ten years. "I thought she was so smart and pretty."

"Past tense?"

Dick flashed a classic smirk and for a moment they were kids again. "She's even more so now."

Ivy leaned forward, looking at both of them.

"What about the other girls, Dick?" The words weighed on Barbara's chest. "You've earned quite the reputation. How many were there?"

"I don't know," he shrugged. "Depends what you mean. I've been on dates. I've been in relationships. It's been a lot since I was sixteen or whatever."

"But how many have you slept with?"

Dick squirmed in his chair and thought about it. "Thirty seven?"

Barbara looked down.

"Wow," Ivy said. "What's that, four or five different girls a year? Is that a lot for a man? I don't know. I suppose if Harley had that kind of list I'd be very upset. Though one Joker is more than enough. But tell us the details. Anyone I would know?"

"Mostly regular people I guess. Spy business. Some heroes."

"Names, boy wonder."

"Starfire. Raven. Zatanna."

Those were enough to excite Poison Ivy. "You dirty dog. What a lineup. If I had known the Justice League was this kind of club, I would've turned to the good side a long time ago. You must be some kind of addict."

"I plead the fifth." Barbara rolled her eyes. He was still putting on the charm, possibly willing to sleep with Ivy just to get free. "When you work with people, especially athletes in life or death situations, things happen."

"What about that Supergirl? You know I like blondes."

Barbara was distressed to hear her best friend's name invoked in this conversation and all the possible implications.

"I'm more of a Power Girl man myself."

"What about Barbara here?"

Dick grinned. "Only a kiss or two."

Ivy turned to Barbara. "How could you not pounce on this guy? Even I'm starting to see it. I mean, he's a complete cad, but aren't most men? What about you? What's your list like?"

"I've only been with three men in my life," Barbara stated firmly.

"Right, there were those years when you were wheelchair bound. Tell me, does that hinder your . . . intimate life."

Barbara continued to stare down Dick. "I find a way to do what I want."

Ivy laughed. "Oh you make me proud to be a redhead. Now tell me this: did you and Batman ever . . ."

Now it was Dick's turn to look worried.

"Only in my dreams," Barbara said.

"You two sure are something." Ivy stood and started looking through her belongings. "So am I to believe Robin here has fallen in love with someone else? Please tell me it's another Robin."

"I think it's two girls now," Barbara said. "I really can't tell."

"The one I love is a beautiful blonde princess," Dick proclaimed. "My angel. My darling Stephanie! But also my quiet little dove, Cassandra. I-"

"Listen to the way you describe the women in your life and think about it again." Ivy sprayed a perfume in Dick's face and cured him. She tossed the bottle to Barbara. "You deserve the world, Batgirl."

Meanwhile, at Wayne Manor, Selina was walking down a hall with a bottle of chocolate syrup in hand when she crossed paths with Stephanie.

"Hey mother figure, can we talk?"

"Sure thing kiddo," Selina said. "But let's be quick, I have a . . . hot late night snack waiting in bed for me."

"How'd you know Bruce was the right guy?"

Selina had to laugh and ruffle her own hair. "Well, when a buff billionaire is constantly chasing you, you eventually just give in."

"Boys my age don't really chase anyone anymore," Steph declared. "Nobody does. We aren't old-fashioned. Not that you're old . . . fashioned I mean-"

"Listen. I know in my vows I said I fell in love with the moment I saw his eyes. That's one way of looking at it. But we met 15 years ago. There were times when I thought he was a mark to be exploited. I kicked him in the face so many times. Just keep an open mind. Maybe it'll be Killer Croc. Maybe it's your work hubby Tim. Maybe it's your best friend Cass."

Selina sauntered off, hoping that what she said was profound yet mysterious enough for Stephanie to chew over and not bother her again.


	6. Issue 6: I Won't Say I'm In Love

By morning, the Batfamily were all given the antidote to Poison Ivy's love potion. Barbara had showered and changed into her normal clothes, ready to fall asleep in her Manor bedroom. She was headed down the hall when she saw Dick by her door. He was dressed in blue pajamas, fitting pants and a tight t-shirt.

"Hey," he said.

Barbara rolled her eyes. "Goodnight."

"Babs, wait." He was taller, but she still managed to look down at him with her glasses on her nose. "I don't remember a lot from last night. My brain is all fuzzy. But I'm sorry for whatever I said and did."

"It's fine, you were drugged," she mumbled. "I really need to sleep."

"Something tells me if we don't talk about this before I leave, we're gonna both be thinking about it for awhile."

Barbara shrugged. "Talk."

"Okay." Dick cleared his throat and licked his lips. "We had something at one time. And I messed it up. Bad."

"You're free to do whatever you want," she replied.

"Well in that case, you free tonight?"

"No, Dick."

"Come on, Babs." He looked into her eyes, standing not too close to her. "I know I was a moody jerk back then. And ever since, with all the other girls. And it's so stupid to say I'm a changed man, but it's true. At least I want to be someone else. Someone you like. You're so in charge of everything and confident in who you are. I'm still just some dumb kid. I've come out of this whole thing with you stuck on my mind. Us running on rooftops together, kicking ass. I would do anything to feel that every day. You were my first kiss. Tell me you don't feel the same way about me."

"I don't feel that way about you," she said softly.

Dick couldn't help but laugh. "You're amazing Barbara Gordon. Whatever you choose to dedicate your heart to, is gonna be really lucky. I guess I should've done better when I was your man."

He walked away and she went into her room. It was all quiet. Barbara buried her face in the pillow, kicked her feet on the bed, and groaned. She sent one last text before bed, to Kara: "Boys drive me crazy."

* * *

Elsewhere in the Manor, Bruce was preparing to make an appearance at Wayne Enterprises to keep up appearances. He wore a dark suit and bags under his eyes from countless sleepless nights. He was at the Main Entrance when he came across a man who looked like Jason Todd, except he had a freshly shaven head and freshly torn sleeves off his red t-shirt. He fished in his leather jacket for the keys to his bike.

"What happened to you?"

Jason rubbed the top of his head. "New look. If life is gonna get tough, I gotta look hard back. Won't catch me slipping."

"I mean what happened to you?"

The young man shook his head. "I was compromised last night. Can't happen again."

"I certainly hope not," Bruce said. He waved his wedding ring finger. "You'll find it isn't half bad in the end."

The two walked out the front door together, once best friends, now just bros befuddled by love.

* * *

Meanwhile, Barbara was dreaming she was 12 again. Back then she would play her Hercules VHS over and over again. She even made her own little routine. Now she was back in her childhood bedroom, singing and dancing. "If there's a prize for rotten judgment, I guess I've already won that. No man is worth the aggravation, that's ancient history been there, done that!"

And then a chorus of Cass, Steph, Kara, Selina, and Ivy teased her as images of Dick Grayson, Robin, and Nightwing flashed through her mind. Barbara was singing at the top of her lungs, twirling and posing. "No chance! No way! I won't say it. No! No!"

"You swoon, you sigh. Why deny it? Uh oh!"

"It's too cliche. I won't say I'm in love."

Now she's 18 again, in her Batgirl costume on some rooftop in the moonlight. "I thought my heart had learned its lesson. It feels so good when you start out. My heart is screaming get a grip girl. Unless you're dying to cry your** eyes** out."

Now she's 22. She's in her wheelchair, still singing and dancing. The chorus of floating heads of her subconscious are challenging her feelings. Then there they were, Dick and Barbara arm in arm, looking into each other's eyes in a loving embrace.

And finally she sang, "At least out loud, I won't say I'm in love."

* * *

_If you've made it this far, thank you for reading! I'm sort of new to this and just want to get some ideas out there and try my hand at writing. Views and reviews mean a lot. Hopefully the Batfamily will return in another arc called "Teacup Kids." Also have a possible story about Damian, Jon, and the next generation of the Justice League._


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